Grip for endless-cable ways



(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. J. WING.

GRIP POR BNDLBSS GABLEWAYS.

No. 281,815. Patented July 24, 1883.

WITNE'SSES: INVENTUR 2 sheets-sneet 2.

(No Model.)

L.v J. WINGl GRIP FOR BNDLESS CABLE WAYS.

Patented July A24, 1883.

INVBN'I'OR ATTORNEY N. persas, Phammnugnphf, washingm u. c.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

GRIP FOR ENDLESS-CABLE WAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,815, dated July 24, 1883,

Application filed July 1, 188:2. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

-Be it known that I, LEVI J. WING, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Grips for Endless-Gable Railways, of which the following is a specificationrlhe object of this invention is to furnish an improved gripping attachment for the cars of endless-cable railways, by which less friction and wear are exerted upon the cable, particularly when starting the car or releasing the same, and which admits the reliable and convenient passing of the car from one cable to the other at points of connection, and of' a tight and reliable clamping of the cable whenever the same is desired.

The invention consists of a grip, the lower fixed jaw of which is provided with guidesheaves that slightly project above the upper edge of the same, in combination with a vertically-movable jaw having a sheave intermediately between the sheaves of' the fixed lower jaw, which sheaves first take hold ofthe cable before the final. grip of the jaws takes place. The motion of the lower sheaves is retarded by friction springs or brakes applied vto the uppermovable jaw vertically above the lower sheaves. At both ends of thejaws are arranged vertical rollers, the bearing-frames of which are connected to the upper jaw and guided in socket-recessesmof the lower j aw in such a manner that by the raising of the upper jaw the vertical rollers are also raised to agiven point, `and then swung by suitable mechanism through an arc of ninety degrees intoaposition at right angles to the jaws, so as to throw the cable out of the grip. rlhe lower jaw is provided at its upper front part with short transverse anti-friction rollers near the vertical rollers, so as to allow the throwing out or in of the cable,with 'out injur f thereto, by sliding along the liower jaw. ,l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of my improved grip for endless-cable railways, showing the con necti on with'the operating-lever mechanism.

' Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on line .fr r, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail side view of the grip, showing the jaws as partly opened,and also in an entirely-open position. Fig. 4L is a vertical transverse section on line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower jaw, and Fig. 6 a plan view of the lowerj aw ofa double grip having double throwing-out mechanism.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspon ding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the fixed lower jaw of a grip for the cars of endless-cable railways, and A the upper jaw, which is raised or lowered by suitable mechanism of any approved construction, and guided along the fixed supporting `arms or stays Aiof the lower jaw, as customary in grips of this class. The lower jaw, A, isY provided with two grooved sheaves, BB, which are separated by an open space, while the upper jaw has an intermediate sheave', B, which assumes a position midway between the lower sheaves, B B, when the upper jaw, A, is lowered. The sheaves B B and B project slightly beyond` the edges of the jaws, so as-to take up the cable before the saine is gripped bythe grooved jaws. 4 In lowering the upper jaw, A, the upper sheave or roller, B', that is arranged midway between the lower sheaves, B, exerts,first, a slight downward pressure upon the cable, so as to bend the saine into a fiat arc between thelower sheaves, B B, and exert thereby a certain friction upon the cable, which suffices to bind the cable and gradually imparts niotion to the car without sl1ockoijar,and at the same time saves wear upon the cable.

The upper jaw, A', is provided at points vertically above the lower sheaves, B, with strong friction springs or brakes d, that bind upon the periphery of the sheaves B B at one side of the cable when the upperjar is lowered, so that a certain friction is exerted upon them, which gradually retards their rotary motion as caused by the cable, and causes'thereby the gradual starting or stopping of` the car without any sudden concussion or shock. Another point of advantage is that the sheaves, which are preferably made with wooden peripheries .for the better protection of the cable, will by the action of the spring-brakes in nearly all cases start and carry the car along, thus saving the wear on the wooden fillers of the jaws and the cost and annoyance of renewing the saine. Then `the upper'jaw is lowered entirely, as shown in Fig. 2, and the jaws brought close together, the wooden fillers of the jaws firmly wooden sections or filling-pieces a a of' the IOO 2 i @snare grip the cable and establish thereby the positive connection of the car therewith.

At both ends of the jaws A A are arranged in vertical bearing-frames C rollers G, which are connected to both jaws, the pintles of the bearing-frames being guided in vertical socketrecesses of the lower jaw and attached to the upper jaw. The lower ends of the pintles of the bearing-frames C are further provided with an arm, e, extending at right angles to the pintles, and having an anti-friction roller or ball, e', at the outer end. The roller c is guided along a vertical way, e2, to a given point, then along a spirally-bent way, e, which are both arranged in the lower jaw, so that when the upper j aw, A, is raised the roller or ball c is moved first along the vertical way and then along the spirally-inclined way, the vertical roller C is caused to swing through an arc of ninety degrees from a position parallel to the jaws into aposition at right angles thereto and clear across the upper edge of the lower j aw, A, as shown in Figs. 3 vand al..

The lower jaw is recessed, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, to admit the swinging motion of the bearing-frame and rollers without obstruction. The `rollers C engage thereby the cable and force it lgradually out of the lower jaw, so that it is tinally'thrown clear of 'the grip, as shown in Figs. 8 and 4. By this arrangement of the throwing-out mechanism of the cable the positive release of the cable from the grip is obtained without any failure, and without any danger that any parts of the grip fail to clear the cable, which feature forms in the cable railways in use a source of considerable trouble, as the cable is frequently broken or damaged by the grip devices. By this arrangement of my grip the throwing out of the cable is positive and sure, while it cannot return until'it is permitted to do so by lowering the upper jaw, this feature being very essential to save accidents in passing from one cable to another, or in going to or from the track, where a failure to release the cable promptly and positively often causes the rope to break and other injuries. `When the upper j aw is lowered, the rollers are first swung back into their position back of and parallel to the lower jaw, and then returned into their lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 2, being then entirely out ofthe way and only called into action whenever, by the raising of the upper jaw beyond a certain fixed distance from the lower j aw, the outward motion of the vertical rollers is produced, and thereby the cable thrown out ofthe grip. To

facilitate this throwing-out motion the lower jaw is further provided in its upper part with short transverse anti-friction rollers D, over which the cable passes when thrown out by the swinging rollers, so as not to catch or wear on the top of the lower j aw. These rollers also facilitate the return of the cable to the gripping device when the throwing-out rollers are returned into their normal position back of the lower part. Vhen the grip has to be used for cables ruiming in opposite directions, a double grip is used, in which two throwing-out rollers and bearings are applied to the same pintle, and then thrown across both lower jaws, as shown clearly in Fig. 6.

Having thus described my invention, VI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a grip for cable railways, the combination of a fixed lower jaw having cablecarrying sheaves with a vertically guided and movable upper `jaw having an intermediate sheave, and friction springs or brakes vertically above the sheaves ofthe lower jaw for retarding the motion of the sheaves on lowering or raising the upper jaw, so as to gradually grip or release the cable, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grip for cable railways, the combination of a fixed lower and an upper movable jaw with rollers mounted in vert-i cal bearingframes connected to the upper j aw and guided in the lower jaw, and with means whereby the rollers and bearing-frames are swung forward at right angles to the jaws by the action ofthe upper jaw, so as to throw out the cable, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a iixed lower jaw and a movable upper jaw, of vertical rollers supported in bearing-frames attached to the upper j aw and guided in sockets of the lower jaw, the pintles of the bearing-frames having arms that move over spirally-bent ways of the lower j aw, so that the rollers and bearingframes are thrown from a position parallel to the jaws to a position at right angles thereto, substantially as set `forth.

Ll-. The combination, with a vfixed lower jaw and a movable upper jaw, of vertical rollers supported in bearing-frames attached to the upper jaw and guided in sockets of the lower jaw, the pintles of the bearing-frames having arms that move over spirally-bent ways of the lower jaw, so that the rollers are moved laterally to throw out the cable, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEVI J. NVING.

Vitnesses:

BENJ. Danni', Hmm-Linn RAssnAoI-r.

IOO

IIO 

